Covenant (episode)
Kira is kidnapped by a cult that worships the pah-wraiths and is led by their "Master" - Dukat. Summary Vedek Fala, one of Kira's teachers from during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor, arrives on Deep Space 9 and she greets him warmly. However, there is more to the kind old man than meets the eye; he uses a homing transponder to transport her to the abandoned outpost Empok Nor. There she finds a Cult of the Pah-wraiths who have chosen Dukat as their leader. He attempts to convince Kira to believe in the Pah-wraiths, telling her that they speak to him, and "opened his heart". She blatantly refused to believe him, but he keeps her on the station anyway, still convinced she can be changed. She also has another spiritual argument with Fala, who shows her the community they have built to show her she has nothing to fear. She sees Mika, the first to get permission to have a baby with her husband, Benyan. Fala explains that it is part of their covenant with Dukat to take vows of abstinence. Kira is skeptical. At a prayer meeting, as everyone has their eyes closed and chants, Kira grabs a weapon during a prayer, and threatens Dukat. Several cult members stand in the way, and one knocks her unconscious soon after. Dukat takes care of her, much to her surprise when she wakes up. After another argument with Dukat, she is determined to prove Dukat a fraud. She cannot believe his followers are willing and that he is as changed as he sounds. Mika soon goes into labor, but when her child is born, it is half-Cardassian. Dukat explains that the Pah-wraiths have sent them a sign. Mika, however is obviously much more skeptical, despite the apparent willingness of the others to believe. Her husband is also having trouble believing it. Kira immediately confronts Fala with this turn of events. Fala defends Dukat's words, arguing that a miracle is something she cannot rule it out. When Kira pushes him hard enough, he admits to suspect her version of the truth, but doesn't want her interfering. Her further conversations with the father make it clear that he does not believe Dukat's story. Dukat apologizes to Mika. When he gets her forgiveness and learns of her husband's disbelief, he flushes her out the nearest airlock. Kira, looking for Mika to ask her about the "miracle", saves her just in time. Dukat claims it was an accident, and everyone believes him -- except Benyan. When Kira loudly objects, Dukat sends her to her quarters. At a sudden prayer meeting, Dukat then makes a great announcement: the pah-wraiths have asked everyone to shed their corporeal existences. Everyone, including him, will commit suicide. Kira, in her next confrontation with Dukat, does not believe he will die with them. He reassures her that all of their deaths will be painless, thanks to Promazine, and so he does not fear it. He will be with the pah-wraiths, and that is his salvation. As the ceremony begins, Kira manages to escape from her cell. She rushes into the hall, and knocks down Dukat as he holds his tablet, knocking over a pedestal containing dozens. He starts searching in vain for his particular tablet as she is restrained. When one of his followers hands Dukat another tablet, he cannot accept it. When Kira calls him on his duplicity, and the crowd becomes restless, Dukat protests that he alone must live to show others the light of the pah-wraith. None believe him, and, order falls apart; Benyan even claims it was Dukat's child. As he loses control, Dukat shouts to them that the covenant is broken, transports out. Fala, despite all this, ingests his tablet. When Kira demands why, his only answer is "faith." Kira is convinced Dukat does believe in the pah-wraiths, despite his continued despotic patterns. She also notes the possibility that Dukat really did receive the suicide order from the pah-wraiths. Either way, he is far more dangerous that ever... Memorable Quotes "Faith has to come first." "That’s too bad. I have a feeling it must be very comforting to believe in something more powerful than yourself." : - Kira and Odo "I've always found that when people try to convince others of their beliefs it's because they're really just trying to convince themselves." : - Kira "Your hair, you changed it." "Your ear, you pierced it." : - Dukat and Kira Background Information * The story of this episode came from David Weddle, one of the editors, who had been an investigative reporter and written about cults. Specifically, the episode was inspired by the cult. That cult was inspired by ; in 1997, the leaders of the cult and 38 other members (including the brother of Nichelle Nichols) committed suicide, believing they were aliens and that their bodies would be transported to a space ship traveling behind the comet. * In the original script, Dukat was the leader of a group of aliens. However, this was changed because the Cult of the Pah-wraiths had already been established when the Bajoran wormhole closed in and the writers felt the message of the episode would be more poignant to both Kira and the audience if Dukat's followers were Bajoran. Additionally, given Dukat's prior dealings with the Pah-wraiths and his love-hate relationship with the Bajoran people, this made sense. * Kira mentions Dukat's murder of Jadzia in and the attempted assassination of Sisko on Earth in . * Empok Nor was first introduced in the season 5 episode of the same name. * This is the final Kira/Dukat episode of the series. Video and DVD releases *UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 7.5, . *As part of the DS9 Season 7 DVD collection. Links and References Guest Stars *Marc Alaimo as Dukat *Norman Parker as Fala *Jason Leland Adams as Benyan *Maureen Flannigan as Mika *Miriam Flynn as Midwife *Mark Piatelli as Brin Uncredited Co-Stars *James Lee Stanley as a Bajoran security deputy *Tom Morga as a Bajoran Pah-wraith follower References Bajor; Bajoran Ancient Texts; Bajoran earring; Bajoran cargo shuttle; Bajoran transport; Cardassians; Celestial Temple; Cult of the Pah-wraiths; Dax, Jadzia; ''Defiant'', USS; Dominion; Emissary; Empok Nor; fusion generator; god; homing transponder; hydroponics; Kira Meru; Klingon religion; Master; Obsidian Order; Occupation of Bajor; Orb; Pah-wraith; promazine; Prophets; Porta; ranjen; replicator; Romulan ale; springwine; Sto-vo-kor; Telna; tachyon energy; Til'amin froth; tea; transporter; University of Bajor; vedek. |next= }} Category:DS9 episodes de:Die Entscheidung auf Empok Nor es:Covenant nl:Covenant